Vauxhall

• The untold story of Britain's oldest car maker
• Many previously unpublished images from the vaults of Vauxhall
• A view from the inside that has been untold until now
• Of interest to the motorcar historian and modellers

Vauxhall has been making cars in Britain for longer than anyone else. The first Vauxhall car left a cramped Thames-side works in 1903. Moving to Luton in 1905, Vauxhall became famous as a maker of sporting and luxury cars. Bought by the American giant General Motors, the company entered the era of mass production and, with the addition of Bedford trucks and vans, became one of the top five UK producers. After the Second World War, Vauxhall became the household name it is today with models such as Viva, Astra, Cresta, Victor, Nova, Cavalier and Vivaro.

The journey from the Thames to today's plants at Ellesmere Port and Luton is full of twists, turns, dramas and triumphs, and continues with the announcement of the sale of General Motors European operations to the PSA Groupe. The author worked at Vauxhall for 38 years, from apprentice to boardroom. He has told the Vauxhall story with the benefit of years of experience and a lifelong passion for the marque.

THE AUTHOR

Ian Coomber joined Vauxhall in 1963. Sponsored at university, he gained a first in mechanical engineering and was seconded to General Motors in Detroit. His first Vauxhall assignment was handling customer complaints, followed by working with dealers as 'the man from the factory'. He returned to Luton head office in 1987 as Fleet Sales Director and retired in 2001 as Executive Director Sales, Marketing and Customer Care. Confirmed 'petrol head' and owner of classic Vauxhalls, he is well-known in the Vauxhall car club scene.

Dettagli